Rediscovering Gender Neutral Perfumes
The Clean Beauty genre has a new approach in the world of fine fragrances.
There is something quietly powerful about discovering a fragrance that feels like it was designed for everyone- but not in a “mass appeal” way or fragrances that evoke an archetype (I’m flashing back to my days of wearing Viktor and Rolfe’s “Flowerbomb” or Baccarat Rouge 540 from Maison Francis Kurkdijan).
Fragrances- and the marketing world around them- tend to focus on tapping into our imaginations of the aspirational self. ““This is the woman or man you’ll become when you put this on”.
Don’t get me wrong- I love the fantastical marketing of fragrance ads. I think they are incredibly genius- getting us to shuffle ourselves into a department store for sniffs and samples.
One spritz, and suddenly you’re the femme fatale, the 1960’s Sophia Loren-esque vixen on a yacht on the shores of the Amalfi- or you’re the bronzed adonis like gladiator in any of Calvin Klein’s fragrances.
Either way, much of the fragrance world has placed it’s bets on the tried and true marketing strategy of appealing to our imagination, our aspirational self. And it’s almost always gendered.
But what if your fragrances were carefully curated and designed to be just as versatile as your wardrobe?
What if your fragrances could blend more harmoniously with your everyday life?
What if you had a capsule of fragrances that you could mix, match and blend for whatever your mood?
That is what makes the global expansion of OCTAVIA MORGAN Los Angeles in Ulta stores across the world, so exciting- and what Ms. Octavia Morgan has been trying to decipher in the world of luxury fragrances since the inception of the brand.
As a prestige fragrance house built on a clean beauty ethos and gender-neutral scent design, the brand offers a refreshed, modern approach to how we experience luxury fragrance today.
An added bonus? Her work is still under the radar, which is a benefit for someone like me who hates walking into an elevator and knowing exactly what someone is wearing because popularity has spread to Tik Tok.
Nothing against popular fragrances- they are popular for a reason! But these days, I do quite like sourcing the “lesser known” brands for a scent profile that feels a bit more unique to me.
The OCTAVIA MORGAN collection is designed as a full sensory wardrobe, spanning fine fragrance, body care, candles, and home scent.
What began as a tightly edited set of signature perfumes has evolved into a beautifully curated scent library meant to be mixed, layered, and lived with.
Each fragrance is crafted to evoke mood and memory—whether that’s something bright and citrus-forward, warm and woody, or softly grounding—allowing wearers to select their scent the same way they might choose an outfit or a piece of jewelry.
What sets the line apart is its commitment to gender-neutral fragrance. Rather than dividing scents into “for her” or “for him,” OCTAVIA MORGAN Los Angeles focuses on the artistry of the notes themselves.
“A rich wood, a bright citrus, a sensual floral—these aren’t masculine or feminine,” Octavia Morgan shared with me. “They’re simply beautiful.”
That philosophy allows each fragrance to meet the wearer on their own terms, inviting self-expression without labels or limitations.
Equally important is the brand’s clean-beauty formulation, created for those who love fragrance but are mindful of what goes on their skin.
The scents are made without harsh synthetics, phthalates, or common irritants, resulting in compositions that feel both luxurious and wearable.
As Octavia explained, the goal was to create fragrances that feel “sophisticated yet effortless”—scents that sit beautifully on the skin throughout the day without overwhelming the senses.
Whether you’re creating an inviting atmosphere for guests or curating an ambience for yourself, the OCTAVIA MORGAN line extends into candles and home scents, allowing that same olfactory elegance to live in your space.
Octavia describes the collection as a scent library you can move through depending on your mood—uplifting, sensual, cozy, or serene—making fragrance a daily ritual rather than a fixed signature
With OCTAVIA MORGAN Los Angeles now available at ULTA Beauty, discovering that perfect scent—or building your own fragrance wardrobe—has never been easier.
I believe a fragrance truly makes the outfit- it becomes part of how you move through the world.
From the samples I was sent in PR, the scents range from a more pronounced sillage to more subtle- and I love how the fragrances can be mixed and layered to create your own signature scent.
My personal favorite is Casablanca for spicy, layered scenting and Dark Rose nails it in having enough complexity in balancing florals and sandalwoods.
And, it looks like Dark Rose is the fan favorite from the reviews on Fragrantica (where I research perfumes) to see if they will perform in the ways I’d hope for.
-Aria
OCTAVIA MORGAN Los Angeles is a Genderless Clean Fine Fragrance and Beauty brand based in Los Angeles, CA.
A Black Woman Owned & Operated Boutique Fragrance House- OM sources, curates and creates fragrances, beauty, and home goods with the intention and purpose to “Elevate Your Senses.”
Each of their parfums, beauty products, and home fragrances each have a unique signature blend designed for a one- of -a -kind sensory experience.
*This post, written by Aria Sa’id, in conversation with Octavia Morgan, was originally published on The Curvy Fashionista.
*Affiliate Links: I want to be transparent about how I earn a living. My curated edits feature affiliate links, which allow me to retain a commission for creating and promoting my content, and items I love, sort of like a referral fee. Should you decide to purchase, the brand is responsible with sending me a small commission for plug and promotion. This of course, is at no additional cost to the consumer.